Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-09
COL. HAsK1Nss ARGUMENT
A summary Of IL. Leading PENN.

Col. Haskins stated that he appeared not
only for the State Grange but Tor the pub
lie under an appointment from the Cover
nor OF the state. He contended that the
evidence had fixed the fact beyond all cav
il that the National Despatch line, behind
which defendants had undertaken 10 shield
themselves, was n myth-a thing without
substance-a sham cunningly devised for
the purpose Of evading the provisions of tho
law. That the through as well as the local
freight rates were all established by the de.
fendants--that is, by the Central Vermont,
and assented to and acquiesced in by all
the other roads Of which the defendants
line was composed That these rates con
stituted joint tariff oyer a continuous line
Of roads within the plain meaning of the
law. This fact, then, being established,
and the published rates showing the fact
complained Of that these defendants charg-
ed n greater sum for the shorter than the
longer haul, for freight going in the same
direction-the shorter being included in the
longer-it was in contravention of the pro-
visions of the fourth section of the inter
state commerce act. The comparison Ia
bles which had been submitted showing
what similar service is performed for by
ether lines Of railroad running west from
Boston, was evidence overwhelming of the
unreasonableness of the defendants charges
and therefore in violation of the provisions
of the first section Of the act Right here
the petitioners were entitled to the relief
prayed for, unless the defendants had
shown that the circumstances under which
they performed this service, as compared
with the service performed by competing
lines of traffic, were 80 entirely dissimilar in
their conditions that they were justified in
charging more for the short than the long
haul. This they have undertaken to do but
have utterly failed They might Us well
claim that a line of steamers from Boston
to New Orleans and from thence up the
Mississippi river to the West was an impor-
tant competitive water line, as that the wa
ter route from Boston to Portland and Hal
flax, or from Boston TO Newport News Va.
and from thence through the Chesapeake
were competitive lines In the light Of the
evidence Of the agents Of these several
steamship routes, the defendants claim Of
water competition is left without a prop 10
stand upon. The testimony shows, If it
shows anything, that all the advantages Of
the various water lines are with the Cen
trail Vermont and its connections As to
the natural, physical and climatic disad
vantages which has been attempted to be
| shown, they are not Of that character ar to
bring the defendant roads within the stat
utory exceptions Their main reliance by
way Of defence they have practically aban-
doned. And every other defence or ex-
cuse which they have put forth in justifca-
ton has failed them. The exorbitant rates
| placed upon freight taken from and into
| Vermont have driven the manufacturers
from us and converted many once produc-
tive farms into barren sheep pastures Ev
cry additional penny charged for the trans
portatiun Of freight 10y Vermont railroads.
beyond that charged by lines into other
states, makes the marketable value ~ the
| products Of Vermont farmers aud manu-
| facturers so much less Mt their own du1r.
1t also adds to the additional cost Of every
thing that is purchased in the Boston and
| New York markets and brought within the
state for our use and consumption The
| freight rates both into and out uf Vermont
have heretofore, and now do, constitute a
system Of robbery Of our people by the rail
roads, AMI to correct this wrong the power
aud authority Of this commission has been
invoked. and the people Of Vermont conf
IDENTIFY expect to be relieved by and through
its action III this matter